Sox fade continues in 7-5 setback

The Sox's Paul Konerko is out at second base as the Twins' Pedro Florimon turns a double play during the fourth inning of Tuesday night's game in Minneapolis. (Hannah Foslien/Getty photo)

MINNEAPOLIS — The White Sox continue to give general manager Rick Hahn little reason not to break up their current 25-man roster.

Hours after Hahn stressed the Sox had time to reverse their losing fortunes, second baseman Gordon Beckham committed a throwing error that started a four-run first inning rally, and two baserunning mistakes in the fifth from Tyler Flowers and Alejandro De Aza helped cost the Sox a 7-5 loss to the Twins at Target Field.

The Sox (29-39) wasted a four-hit performance from Paul Konerko, who drove in the tying run in the eighth. But the Twins rallied behind Ryan Doumit's two-run double off Ramon Troncoso, who pitched the eighth because Nate Jones and Jesse Crain were taxed.

"Again, we're just doing things that make you end up fighting your way back. The earlier stuff costs you," manager Robin Ventura said as the Sox remained 91/2 games out of first place.

Other teams are ready to pounce on the Sox's players in the event the ballclub is split up, Hahn acknowledged.

"Given the way we've played thus far, it's not a surprise that we've had some phone calls, the vulture-type phone calls that traditionally we're more accustomed to making," Hahn said. "But that's part of the hole we've dug for ourselves. Teams are going to look at us as potential sellers when the deadline comes, and they're starting to lay some of the groundwork now."

The Sox have several players who could attract playoff contenders, such as relievers Crain, Matt Thornton and Matt Lindstrom, right fielder Alex Rios, shortstop Alexei Ramirez, left fielder Dayan Viciedo and pitcher Jake Peavy once he returns from a rib fracture in late July.

Hahn wouldn't address the status of certain players but admitted if the Sox get to the point of moving players, "we're going to be pretty popular. We already have received a fair amount of phone calls, and I suspect that will continue unless we turn this thing around and start being the ones on the dialing end of things looking to pick off other club's valuable players.

"But if we get to that point, we'll be fairly popular at the deadline."

Based on the Sox's struggles, Hahn seems prepared to take a definitive course of action soon.

"If we make a move, I promise we'll explain precisely what the thought process was and why we went down this path and what we expect going forward," Hahn said.

After the game, Konerko was happy to hear that Hahn reiterated his faith in the team but knows time could be running short.

"You just know going into it with this job that management will make moves if they see fit at any time to do that," Konerko said. "You're never caught off-guard by that."